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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26184241">sat by the river, and it made me complete</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lco123/pseuds/lco123'>lco123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pretty Little Liars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Future Fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:15:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,525</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26184241</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lco123/pseuds/lco123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Aren’t you the one asking me for a favor? I could just leave you out there with the lobsters…”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“No, don’t! I miss you.” Aria has to know that Spencer is teasing, but there’s an edge of genuine panic in her voice that makes Spencer’s heart ache. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>And well, she’s never been able to say no to Aria.</i>
</p><p>Spencer visits Aria in Maine. Post-series.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Spencer Hastings/Aria Montgomery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>sat by the river, and it made me complete</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncognitoDuck11/gifts">IncognitoDuck11</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>IncognitoDuck11 asked for some Sparia, and this...got away from me. But it was super fun to write. Contained within are lots of references to Sorrento, ME, the town where my grandparents used to live and where I used to spend my summers as a kid. I haven't been back in a long time, though, so it's very possible that some of my regional references are off.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The summer after her divorce, Aria rents a house on the coast of Maine. She tells Spencer that she needs space, and that she’s planning to work on her novel, but still, Spencer knows that the invitation call is imminent. Sorrento is an incredibly remote town—“The closest grocery store is an hour away,” Aria chirps, like that’s a good thing—and Aria’s bound to get bored.</p><p>Surprisingly, it takes an entire month for Aria to call, but once she does, Spencer doesn’t require much convincing. It’s been a long, hard few months for her, too; Spencer’s been working so much that she’s starting to worry she’s losing the ability to speak to people normally.</p><p>When she voices that fear to Aria over the phone, Aria replies, “And talking to people normally has always been such a strong suit of yours.”</p><p>“Aren’t you the one asking me for a favor? I could just leave you out there with the lobsters…”</p><p>“No, don’t! I miss you.” Aria has to know that Spencer is teasing, but there’s an edge of genuine panic in her voice that makes Spencer’s heart ache.</p><p>And well, she’s never been able to say no to Aria.</p><p>So she books a plane ticket, and Aria picks her up at the airport in a shiny red convertible.</p><p>“This isn’t actually your car, is it?” Spencer asks.</p><p>Aria attempts to lift Spencer’s suitcase—which is nearly the size of Aria herself—before Spencer nudges at her hip and hefts the heavy bag into the admittedly sizable trunk.</p><p>“I have to do a lot of driving out here, and this makes it more fun,” Aria replies, sliding sunglasses down over her eyes. “Ready?”</p><p>Any judgment Spencer might have had about the car quickly melts away as they start driving up the coast. The wind whips through her hair and the smell of salt fills her lungs and finally, she can breathe.</p><p>--</p><p>“Stephen King used to live around here,” Aria tells Spencer as they walk around her neighborhood after dinner. Well, “neighborhood” is putting it generously; Sorrento is essentially a collection of old summer homes clustered on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Spencer’s been here for five hours and has yet to see a single other soul besides Aria.</p><p>“Well, you’re more talented than him.”</p><p>Aria grins, clearly pleased. They’ve made their way to the dock, apparently kind of a destination spot here. Spencer wanted to stretch her legs after her flight, and their choices were either the dock or the cemetery. Spencer figured they’d both spent enough time around graves.</p><p>Now, they stand on the dock as the sun begins to set. It’s quiet enough that Spencer can hear crickets, knows that soon she’ll actually see stars. Even her grandparents’ lake house never felt this remote.</p><p>“What do you do out here?” she asks Aria. “You can’t spend every minute writing.”</p><p>Aria unties the magenta flannel from around her waist and pulls it over her shoulders. Spencer resists the urge to fix her collar. “I’ve actually gotten kind of into baking.”</p><p>“Seriously?”</p><p>Aria nods. “The blueberries up here are different. So I’ve been making pies. The occasional popover with homemade jam.”</p><p>Spencer snorts, impressed. “You’ve gone full Betty Crocker.”</p><p>Aria glares good-naturedly. “And I read a lot, and paint sometimes. Go on lots of walks. Mostly I just…<em>be. </em>We spent so long running, y’know? It’s nice to stand still.”</p><p>“I’ve never liked standing still.”</p><p>Aria shrugs. “You get used to it, after a while.”</p><p>There’s a thread Spencer’s been aching to pull at, and now seems as good a time as any. “Aria, the divorce…what happened?”</p><p>“I don’t think the question is what happened,” Aria sighs, “So much as why didn’t it happen sooner. When he and I were together—like, actually together, not hiding from ‘A’ or my parents or whatever—it was different. Or…” She wipes a single tear, fast, like she doesn’t want Spencer to see. “Or maybe it was the same, I was just seeing it clearly for the first time.”</p><p>Spencer puts an arm around Aria’s shoulder and pulls her in close. “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>Aria tips her head against Spencer’s shoulder. “I just wish I’d figured it out sooner, y’know?”</p><p>“Well, now you have, and you get to decide what comes next.”</p><p>Aria doesn’t say anything, but she tangles her fingers with Spencer’s over her shoulder. They stay like that until the sun has slipped below the horizon and been replaced by darkness.</p><p>--</p><p>“You haven’t asked how long I’m staying,” Spencer points out at breakfast the next morning.</p><p>Aria nods around a mouthful of blueberry pancake. She’s right: the blueberries are different out here, small and tangy but so sweet. Spencer wonders if she can smuggle any back to D.C. “Well, I haven’t decided how long <em>I’m </em>staying. Seems unfair to expect different of you.”</p><p>Spencer frowns, puzzled. “You’re going back to Boston in September, right?”</p><p>Aria sets her fork down. “Maybe? I don’t know. Everything's just so full of memories. If it’s not Liam, it’s Ezra.”</p><p>“So, what? They get custody of a whole city? Talk about unfair.”</p><p>Aria chuckles. “Calm down, counselor. I’m not waving a white flag. I just might be ready for a more permanent change.”</p><p>“Not <em>here</em>, though?” Spencer gestures to the house around them. It’s old and kitschy feeling, like a ’60s version of Aria’s general style.</p><p>“Would that be so bad?”</p><p>“There’s nothing to do! You’d die of boredom.”</p><p>“I don’t know, Spence.” Aria eyes Spencer over her cup of coffee. “I’m not feeling too bored right now.”</p><p>Spencer feels herself flush, strangely. “I just mean, I can’t picture you here long-term.”</p><p>“I’m keeping my options open. But I assume that you’re hustling right back?”</p><p>“I haven’t bought a return ticket,” Spencer admits.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“I didn’t—” Spencer winces, not sure how to frame this. “I wasn’t sure if I’d have to, like, rescue you, or something.”</p><p>“Rescue me?”</p><p>“I didn’t know how bad it would be,” Spencer says quietly. “If you’d need to be…I don’t know. Extracted.”</p><p>Aria narrows her eyes. “I’m not a gemstone. Or an undercover spy.”</p><p>“I know that.” She puts a tentative hand on Aria’s, who thankfully doesn’t flinch away. “I also really wanted to see you. And make sure you’re okay.”</p><p>Aria hesitates, then flips her hand over, accepting Spencer’s. “I am. Mostly. Some days more than others. Better now, with you.”</p><p>Spencer smiles, grateful, but then her pulse suddenly starts to race. She pulls her hand back.</p><p>Aria frowns. “Are <em>you </em>okay?”</p><p>Spencer nods, flexing her fingers, which are starting to get tingly. “Yep, good. Just too much coffee.”</p><p>“Excuse me? May I talk to Spencer, please?”</p><p>Spencer slaps her with her napkin, and Aria laughs, and the moment, thankfully, passes.</p><p>--</p><p>Spencer starts going for runs in the early mornings, before Aria gets up. In D.C. she always runs with one earbud in, her other ear listening for any passing noise. It’s been years since the last ‘A’ message, but still. The city is packed and loud and full of all sorts of people, some who might want to hurt her. Spencer isn’t about to let her guard down.</p><p>Spencer assumed she’d feel unnerved being back in a small town, that the quiet would feel too quiet, but Sorrento is nothing like Rosewood. She doesn’t feel eyes constantly on her because there’s practically no one around. Occasionally she waves at an older person through a window, but the houses on either side of Aria’s are vacant at this point in the summer, and she pretty much has the path to herself.</p><p>By her third morning, she feels confident enough to jam both earbuds in and turn her music up loud. She starts her runs just before sunrise—always leaving a note for Aria, for no real reason other than that she knows Aria will appreciate it. She’ll run past the dock, past the cemetery, past the tiny post office that never seems to get any mail. The air is cool and crisp and smells like the earth.</p><p>Once she’s looping back toward Aria’s, the sun is shimmering up over the water. She always pauses at the dock to take in the sight, will take out her earbuds to hear the clang of the buoy and the splashing of the waves against the shore.</p><p>Aria is almost always awake by the time Spencer returns. She’ll pad around the kitchen in her leopard print robe and fuzzy slippers, sleepily pouring the coffee Spencer has already made. Spencer finds that she likes the sight, and will sometimes even pause in the doorway to watch Aria go about her routine. Aria will notice her soon, of course, and offer Spencer a lopsided smile and a cup of coffee.</p><p>Toward the end of Spencer’s first week in Maine, they hit a major heat wave. It’s hot all through the night, and Spencer is full on sweating by the time she comes back from her run.</p><p>She can’t be certain, but as she stands on the porch, stripping off her damp tank top to go in wearing only her sports bra, she would swear Aria is watching her from inside.</p><p>--</p><p>The extreme heat lasts through the weekend and into the next week. Aria’s house is charming but outdated, meaning no A/C. On Monday, Aria declares that they need a change. “We’re going to sweat to death. Let’s go into town.”</p><p>The idea of “town” sounds positively cosmopolitan to Spencer after days of decidedly country living. Despite Aria’s warning that Ellsworth is nothing special, they simultaneously decide to get a little more dressed up than usual. Spencer’s hair has been wild and curly since she got here but she takes the time to straighten it, and she wears makeup for the first time in days.</p><p>Aria, of course, puts together an outfit that wouldn’t work on anyone put her: a teal mini dress covered in psychedelic-looking swirls, and purple platform heels that make her nearly as tall as Spencer. Seeing Aria all dressed up makes Spencer recognize how casual Aria has looked since Spencer got here, while still somehow retaining bits of the old Aria style: a vintage tank top under a pair of overalls, a fuchsia bandana to tie her hair back with.</p><p>Still, though, Spencer can’t deny that Aria looks marvelous this afternoon. “Are we going to the Ellsworth club?”</p><p>Aria shakes her head. “I figured the movies would be a good option. A/C, sitting and snacks.”</p><p>“Sounds perfect.” Spencer smirks. “It’s a black and white theater, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Not quite.”</p><p>Turns out, the theater shows old movies, but not pre-color ones. Tonight’s movie is <em>When Harry Met Sally</em>. Spencer’s seen it at least twice, once with Aria. Long before Aria was a divorced woman.</p><p>“Are you sure you want to?” she asks once they get to the theater.</p><p>“I’m not going to fall apart because it’s a romance, Spencer,” Aria assures her.</p><p>Spencer acquiesces, but still finds herself glancing over at Aria frequently. At first it’s to make sure Aria’s doing okay, and then it’s because she finds herself more entertained by watching Aria watch the movie than by watching the movie herself. Aria seems so immersed, so captivated. Like even though she knows the story, something different might happen this time. Her face reacts to everything, she feels it all so deeply.</p><p>But when it gets toward the end of the film, Spencer is pulled in as well. It’s sappy and romantic, yes, but Spencer has always loved the way the movie ends. On screen, Billy Crystal is monologuing to Meg Ryan:</p><p>
  <em>“I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes…”</em>
</p><p>Spencer feels a lump start to form in her throat, and she chances a glance over to Aria, who looks back at her with an unreadable expression.</p><p><em>You okay? </em>Spencer mouths.</p><p>Aria nods, then gestures to Spencer’s face. Spencer realizes, to her surprise, that her cheeks are covered in tears.</p><p>Aria puts a hand on Spencer’s knee. A comforting gesture, a friendly gesture. But suddenly Spencer feels like she might throw up. She looks back up at the screen, where Billy Crystal continues:</p><p>
  <em>“….And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”</em>
</p><p>Spencer refuses to look anywhere but at the screen for the rest of the movie, and she wills her knee to stop trembling beneath Aria’s touch.</p><p>--</p><p>“Were you thinking about Toby?” Aria asks on the drive home.</p><p>“When?” Spencer asks, even though she knows exactly what Aria is referring to. They have the top up and the A/C in the car cranked, so Spencer can’t blame the sound of wind for any confusion.</p><p>“During the movie. You were crying.”</p><p>“I wasn’t thinking about anyone,” Spencer says, though it tastes like a lie.</p><p>“Do you miss Toby?” Aria’s eyes are straight ahead on the road. She gives away nothing.</p><p>“Not really.” Spencer inhales slowly. “No. Did you feel that way about Ezra?”</p><p>“You mean the way Harry felt about Sally?”</p><p>It sounds ridiculous to have it vocalized by Aria, but Spencer still says, “Yeah.”</p><p>“I thought I did. Why? Did you feel that way about Toby?”</p><p><em>No</em>, Spencer knows is the truth. The thought of a long life with him started giving her panic attacks, there at the end. He would talk about their future—their wedding, a child—and Spencer felt like the walls were caving in. That was when she broke things off, and got herself back into therapy.</p><p>“I didn’t,” she finally answers. “He might have felt that way about me, though.”</p><p>Even in the darkness, Spencer can see Aria’s smile. “Well, who could blame him?”</p><p>Spencer just hopes Aria can’t see her blush in return.</p><p>--</p><p>When the heat still hasn’t let up by midweek, Aria grabs a bottle of wine and declares they need to go to the water.</p><p>“It’s freezing!” Spencer declares.</p><p>Aria grins. “Exactly.”</p><p>Neither one of them have swimsuits, so they put on some old, ratty nightgowns that Aria bought for painting and make their way down to the shore. They’ve already been drinking a bit, and Spencer is just tipsy enough to feel like this is both a great and terrible idea.</p><p>The shore is more rock than beach, and Aria’s flashlight is weak. “I knew I should have brought mine,” Spencer mutters as they stumble over to a log.</p><p>The waves are surprisingly quiet tonight. Aria kicks her flip-flops off first and dips her toes in, yelping at the cold. Spencer instinctively shushes her.</p><p>“No one’s around,” Aria points out. “And we’re not doing anything wrong.”</p><p>“Oh.” Spencer nods. “Right. I sort of feel like we’re at summer camp.”</p><p>Aria holds her flashlight under her chin. “Ready for a ghost story?”</p><p>“No. I’m coming in.”</p><p>Spencer takes a deep breath, then eases one foot in. The water is incredibly cold, but after about a second she starts to feel the relief of being cool. “That’s awesome,” she sighs, letting her eyes flutter closed.</p><p>When she opens them, Aria is looking at her strangely, mouth ajar.</p><p>“What?” Spencer asks.</p><p>Aria shivers. “Nothing.” She glides her toe through the shallow water, splashing some at Spencer. Spencer shrieks and does the same in return, though she accidentally makes a bigger wave and the whole back of Aria’s dress gets wet. Aria’s eyes go wide and she kicks more water at Spencer, forcing Spencer to stumble-run away.</p><p>“No fair!” Spencer protests. “These rocks are impossible to walk on!”</p><p>Aria laughs and manages her way back over to the log, taking a long sip of wine. Spencer follows suit, landing heavily beside Aria. They drink in silence for a few minutes, grateful to be cold for the first time in days.</p><p>“This is very <em>Fried Green Tomatoes</em>,” Aria murmurs after a moment.</p><p>“Book or movie?”</p><p>“Well, they’re lesbians in the book, so…”</p><p>Spencer is immediately burning hot again, and she stares straight ahead. “So, movie. Definitely movie.”</p><p>“Spencer,” Aria says softly. Spencer feels a hand on her cheek as Aria glides a piece of wet hair behind Spencer’s ear. Spencer swallows hard, gaze still trained on the water.</p><p>“Can you look at me?” Aria asks, and Spencer can’t say no, so she turns. Aria’s eyes are shimmering, and they’re somehow deeper and more beautiful than the ocean in front of them. Spencer is certain she could fall right in.</p><p>Aria’s hand in still on Spencer’s cheek when she says, “Honestly, I always preferred the book.”</p><p>Spencer’s laugh is watery. “I’m not drunk enough for this to be a mistake.”</p><p>Aria nods. “I know. I don’t want it to be a mistake.” And then she kisses Spencer.</p><p>Later, Spencer won’t remember how they got back up to the house. She won’t remember stumbling over the rocks, or nearly dropping the wine, or Aria’s flashlight dying just as they got up the stairs.</p><p>All she will remember is Aria’s lips on hers, Aria’s fingers in her hair, Aria’s smooth skin under her hands, Aria’s hair fanned out on a pillow, Aria’s eyes staring up from between her thighs, the rasp in Aria’s voice when she came.</p><p>
  <em>Aria, Aria, Aria.</em>
</p><p>--</p><p>The heat wave breaks two days later. They’ve spent those two days mostly in bed, but Spencer decides they should celebrate by going out for a proper lobster dinner. Aria, who’s officially become a pescatarian since moving to Maine, agrees, and they drive to a little spot in the middle of nowhere with the best lobster rolls Spencer has ever eaten, followed by incredible blueberry pie.</p><p>Afterward, full and slick with butter, they walk down to the dock, hand-in-hand. Spencer kisses Aria under a canopy of stars.</p><p>“What happens now?” she asks Aria, the question they haven’t voiced in days. “Is this just a—?”</p><p>“No,” Aria says firmly. “At least, I don’t want it to be.”</p><p>“Me neither,” Spencer agrees. “I can’t…<em>”</em> She isn’t sure how to finish the sentence. <em>I can’t believe this </em>or <em>I can’t go back </em>or <em>I can’t lose you. </em>The way she feels about Aria is bigger than she has words for, as big as the wide sky above them.</p><p>“Would I like D.C.?” Aria asks.</p><p>Spencer nearly chokes on nothing. “You’re not—”</p><p>“I don’t know!” Aria flails her hands. “I’m technically on the rebound, right? I shouldn’t be making any big life decisions.”</p><p>“Right,” Spencer agrees.</p><p>“But I think, maybe,” Aria says slowly, “it’s not so much a decision, as a realization.”</p><p>Spencer hangs her head. “And <em>that </em>sounds like a justification.”</p><p>“I’m serious.”</p><p>“So am I.” Spencer takes Aria’s hands in her own. “I don’t want to screw your life up.”</p><p>Aria looks at her with so much tenderness that Spencer’s heart squeezes tighter. “You could never do that.”</p><p>“I’m really good at screwing things up.”</p><p>“Not in my eyes.”</p><p>There are so many things Spencer could say to that, about how Aria’s optimism can’t carry them through real life, about how it’s one thing to have something like this happen on vacation, but quite another to come out to friends and family, to change jobs or apartments, to go from best friends to two people who share a life.</p><p>But how can she ruin this moment? How can she act like this time with Aria is flimsy and pointless when the thought of leaving it behind makes her want to cry?</p><p>“Maybe you could come for a visit,” Spencer offers. “And we could see how it goes.”</p><p>“I like that idea.” Aria smiles. “Slow. One step at a time. Nothing too serious.”</p><p>“You say that now,” Spencer warns. “But I know us. We can be pretty intense about these things.”</p><p>“We have time, Spence. We don’t have to figure it all out tomorrow.”</p><p>“What if—?”</p><p>“What if?” Aria echoes. “What if anything? I love you. The way I love you might change, but the love itself? It’s not going anywhere.”</p><p>Spencer nods, feeling her eyes prick with tears. “Can I hold you?” she asks, because she doesn’t trust herself to say anything more.</p><p>“Of course.” Spencer wraps her arms around Aria’s waist and they face the water together. The buoy bobs in the distance, small and far away but still making noise over the crash of the waves.</p><p>“Aria,” Spencer whispers after a long silence.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“I really like standing still with you."</p><p>Spencer can hear the grin in Aria’s voice when she replies, “Knew it.”</p>
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